The contract regarding the tender for 15 new ships to be purchased for transporting passengers to the bay was signed. In the ceremony held at Üçkuyular Ferry Port, the contract for construction of the ships was signed by Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Aziz Kocaoğlu, and Özdemir Atasever, Chairman of Özata Tersanecilik that was awarded with the contract.

In the speech he delivered in the ceremony, Kocaoğlu said they they accelerated the works regarding the bay since they took the office, that scientific-based projects have been developed in six-year study conducted with Dokuz Eylül University, and that they have been "heavily criticized" and accused of making non-objective tenders by some shipbuilding lobbies and circles that build steel and aluminum ships, when they initiated the first tender.

Kocaoğlu stated that the tender was canceled as a result of the criticism, that they are once again sure of themselves about the fact that their critics do not have reasonable grounds, and that they started a tender for the second time.

"We take science and mind as a guide" said Kocaoğlu. "The contract was awarded to a company operating in this business for 37 years. The raw material used is produced in 9 countries in the world, one of which is Turkey. Its labor is fully local. Carbon composite ships will set the bar too high in shipbuilding sector in Turkey. The lifetime of the ships made of this material is 2 times higher than the steel ships and have lower maintenance costs. As the contract was awarded to a local company, the claims that we make so-called "non-objective" tenders were proven wrong.

Kocaoğlu emphasized that the dispute in question costed Izmir a 7-9-month loss, but could not change the result. "In Izmir, decisions are taken through democratic participation, and reached a good result in the end despite the time loss and some challenges."

He also said that they would support all kinds of projects on the condition that they are for the benefit of the city.

"We object to the use of sources beyond their purposes. We object to the destruction of public spaces. We are moving within a plan. We will cover the cost of these ships -117 million Euro- from our own sources. All problems except for the waste have been solved in 8 years. Our understanding of municipality includes neither the perspective of "naysaying" nor offering public spaces available."

Kocaoğlu concluded his words as follows: "I cannot understand the discussion about the stadium issue in Izmir, and I am having a hard time to understand why there is a search for a person to build the stadium even if 1.5 years ago they expressed that they put themselves in for the construction a stadium in Örnekköy".

In his speech, Özdemir Atasever, Chairman of Özata Tersanecilik, said that 13 of the ships with a 38 meters length and 11 meters width will have a speed of 18 knots, and the remaining 2 of 30 knots, and that the ships were designed in a manner so that they will not create high waves in the Bay despite their high speeds.

Atasever also said that carbon composite material is 4 times more solid but 8 times lighter than steel. "The ships will attract attention with their environmentally-friendly features and low operation and maintenance costs besides being modern, fast and useful" said Atasever.

Guests including representatives from chambers and political parties in Izmir, RPP Izmir deputies Mustafa Moroğlu ve Hülya Güven participated in the signing ceremony.